Across the street from the University’s planned Gateway Center — which will use the arch from old Memorial Stadium as its symbolic cornerstone — plans have been made to erect another kind of landmark. A set of golden arches are coming to Stadium Village.
McDonald’s, Dairy Queen and Bruegger’s Bagels will open in the building at 720 Oak Street early next year, said Steve Scallen, a lawyer who represents the building’s owners.
The Bruegger’s opening in the building will replace the current Bruegger’s, located across the street at 800 Washington Ave.
“We just want a more comfortable space for our restaurant,” said Greg Lokken, a Real Estate Coordinator for Bruegger’s Bagels.
“It will be adding 1,000 feet to the cramped location we’re in now,” Lokken said. “It’ll be more user-friendly.”
The building at 720 Oak Street was bought by Juno Investment Corp. in 1995. Since then, several tenants have left the location, and the building was gutted for renovation.
“This is a very, very major remodeling including the floors, walls, ceiling and roof,” Scallen said. “And as early as next week the storefronts will be done.”
“Everybody’s building as fast as they can,” said property manager Scott Provost. “They are trying to beat the cold weather.”
The same company, Scallen said, remodeled the Dinkydome on University and 15th Avenues and remodeled a run-down building at the corner of Fourth Street and 15th Avenue, where there is now a Starbucks Coffee shop.
“We had two options after we bought the property,” Scallen said. “We could either keep this building or tear it down. The former owner said we should tear it down, but it looked like the building could be saved.”
The storefronts of the remodeled building will have stucco exterior intended to blend with the structure’s 1910s architecture. The old brick front on the second and third stories will be preserved, Scallen said.
“Scallen said the building will have a three-story atrium on the south side of the building, which will hold cash machines, and access to Washington Avenue from the parking in the rear.
Scallen said there will be parking between the building and the Minnesota Health Department, and First Bank will continue to run its drive-through teller there.
In addition to having hamburgers, bagels and ice cream in the building, Scallen said he is negotiating a lease with a submarine-sandwich chain for the remaining first floor space.
“Big chains were beating on the door,” Scallen said. “It is a very good market with students and the hospital complex,” Scallen said.
Stadium Barber and Oak Street Cleaners have renewed their leases and will be staying in the building. “The barber is an institution,” Scallen said. “Faculty have been going to him for years.”